Web Responds to Jobs Macworld No-Show

After market close today, Dec. 16, Apple announced that this would be Apple's last Macworld and that Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will give this year's keynote on Jan. 6. In my previous post, I speculated about Steve's health being a reason for the keynote change.

GOT A TIP OR RUMOR?

In this post, I've collected blogger reactions to today's announcement. But first, I must point out something. There's a contradiction in Apple's reasoning for pulling out of the IDG-sponsored Expo and Steve not keynoting. Macworld would be an even bigger event in January if people knew that, besides being Apple's last participation, it was Steve's last keynote. The keynote would be a mega-event, with the Mac faithful, bloggers and journalists descending on San Francisco for Steve's farewell Macworld address. No company as image-conscious as Apple would give up such a PR opportunity without an overwhelming reason.

Anyway, here's what other people are saying about today's announcements:

Apple 2.0, Philip Elmer-DeWitt
"The switch is likely to raise questions once again about the health of Apple's CEO, who has been struggling this year with complications following surgery for pancreatic cancer in 2004."

Daring Fireball, John Gruber
"Wow. So much for bullshit netbook speculation being the topic of the day."

Silicon Alley Insider, Nicholas Carlson
"Given that this is the last Macworld that Apple will be attending (an understandable choice), why wouldn't Steve just give the final keynote? ... Will this raise additional concerns about Steve's health? ... Is Jobs just laying the [groundwork] for more Steve magic: A surprise appearance that will leave followers feeling touched by God?"

Apple Thoughts, Vincent Ferrari
"With Apple having its special product announcement shows throughout the year, it really is becoming less necessary to have a Macworld event yearly ... as much as I think Schiller is great and is the heir apparent to Jobs' desk, people aren't going to Macworld to see him; they're going to see a Stevenote."

The Macalope
"Phil Schiller to deliver keynote. You may now freak out."

MobileDevicesToday, Michael Gartenberg
"Absence of Steve Jobs at Macworld more likely to do with evolutionary news as opposed to anything else."

Valleywag, Owen Thomas
"Since a scary-skinny Steve Jobs showed up last summer to launch a new iPhone, rumors about the Apple CEO's health have circulated. Now, the cancellation of his annual Macworld speech has spooked Wall Street ... Apple's stock price, down 5 percent in after-hours trading, is expressing fears that genteel reporters can't: Could an ever-worsening illness have led Jobs to cancel his annual Macworld keynote?"

CNBC TechCheck, Jim Goldman
"I can tell you that sources inside the company tell me that Jobs' decision was more about politics than his pancreas. Sources tell me that if Jobs for some reason was unable to perform any of his responsibilities as CEO because of health reasons, which would include the Macworld keynote, I should 'rest assured that the board would let me know.'"

Gizmodo, Matt Buchanan
"At the very, very best, this is another step in that direction, preparing the world for an Apple without Steve. We don't really want to think about the worst. But we have to. This sudden, dramatic announcement says to us, loudly and unfortunately clearly, that Jobs' health has taken a significant dive since his appearance introducing the new MacBooks."

TechCrunch, Jason Kincaid
"The move to pull Jobs from the keynote may simply be a way to lower expectations. Apple probably isn't keen on releasing a big new product in the current economy (assuming it has something ready in the first place), and it would look silly to have Steve Jobs to present a keynote whose highlights were limited to an iTunes Plus update and maybe a Mac Mini (I don't buy the netbook theory)."

Gear Live, Andru Edwards
"We don't like it any more than you do. Phil's awkward stage presence is nothing compared to the stuff of legends that Steve pulls off time and time again. Let's just hope that this means more Apple Town Hall style events throughout the year, since they won't be participating in the MacWorld event. Oh, and fingers crossed that Phil will announce new Mac Pros, Mac minis, and Cinema Displays."

All Things Digital, John Paczkowski
"Man, they must be chugging mylanta by the gallon over at IDG corporate right now."

[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com]

Posted by Joe Wilcox on December 16, 2008 7:57 PM